公开(公告)号：US06595830B1

公开(公告)日：2003-07-22

申请号：US09817532

申请日：2001-03-26

申请人： Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Gerd Franz Christian Marxsen ,  Anthony J. Toprac

发明人： Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Gerd Franz Christian Marxsen ,  Anthony J. Toprac

IPC分类号： B24B5100

CPC分类号： B24B37/013 ,  B24B37/042 ,  B24B49/12 ,  H01L21/3212

摘要： The present invention is directed to a method of polishing wafers on a polishing tool comprised of first, second and third platens. The method comprises providing a wafer having a patterned layer of insulating material, a barrier metal layer, and a metal layer formed above the wafer, performing a first polishing operation on the wafer at the first platen to remove a majority of the metal layer above the barrier metal layer, and performing an endpoint polishing operation on the wafer at the second platen to remove at least some of the metal layer. The method further comprises performing a timed overpolish operation on the wafer at the second platen after the endpoint polishing operation is completed at the second platen, performing a timed polishing operation on the wafer at the third platen to remove at least some of the barrier metal layer, determining an erosion rate of the patterned layer of insulating material, providing the determined erosion rate to a controller that determines a duration of the timed overpolish operations to be performed on at least one subsequently processed wafer at the second platen, and performing the timed overpolish operation on the at least one subsequently processed wafer at the second platen for the duration determined by the controller.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及一种在由第一，第二和第三压板构成的抛光工具上抛光晶片的方法。 该方法包括提供具有绝缘材料图案化层，阻挡金属层和形成在晶片上方的金属层的晶片，在第一压板上在晶片上执行第一抛光操作，以去除位于第一压板上方的大部分金属层 并且在所述第二压板处对所述晶片执行终点抛光操作以去除所述金属层中的至少一些。 该方法还包括在第二压板上完成终点抛光操作之后，在第二压板上对晶片进行定时过多的操作，对第三压板上的晶片进行定时抛光操作，以去除至少一些阻挡金属层 确定所述图案化绝缘材料层的侵蚀速率，将所确定的腐蚀速率提供给控制器，所述控制器确定在所述第二压板上对至少一个随后处理过的晶片执行的所述定时过度抛光操作的持续时间，以及执行所述定时过度抛光 在由控制器确定的持续时间内，在第二压板上对至少一个随后处理的晶片进行操作。

公开(公告)号：US06576385B2

公开(公告)日：2003-06-10

申请号：US09776206

申请日：2001-02-02

申请人： Christopher A. Bode ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn

发明人： Christopher A. Bode ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn

IPC分类号： G03F900

CPC分类号： G03F7/70558

摘要： A method of compensating for across-wafer variations in photoresist thickness is provided. The method comprises providing a wafer having a process layer formed there-above, forming a layer of photoresist above the process layer, measuring a thickness of the layer of photoresist at a plurality of locations to result in a plurality of thickness measurements, providing the thickness measurements to a controller that determines, based upon the thickness measurements, an exposure dose of an exposure process to be performed on the layer of photoresist, and performing the exposure process on the layer of photoresist using the determined exposure dose. This exposure dose may be varied on a flash-by-flash basis as the stepper tool “steps” across the surface of wafers. That is, the exposure dose for a group of flashes, or for each flash, may be varied in response to the thickness measurements.

摘要翻译： 提供了补偿光致抗蚀剂厚度的跨晶片变化的方法。 该方法包括提供具有在其上形成的处理层的晶片，在处理层上方形成光致抗蚀剂层，测量多个位置处的光致抗蚀剂层的厚度，以产生多个厚度测量值，从而提供厚度 控制器的测量，其基于厚度测量确定将在光致抗蚀剂层上进行的曝光处理的曝光剂量，以及使用确定的曝光剂量对光致抗蚀剂层进行曝光处理。 当步进工具跨越晶片表面“步进”时，该曝光剂量可以在逐闪的基础上变化。 也就是说，一组闪光或每个闪光灯的曝光剂量可以响应于厚度测量而变化。

公开(公告)号：US06365422B1

公开(公告)日：2002-04-02

申请号：US09766737

申请日：2001-01-22

申请人： Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anthony J. Toprac

发明人： Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anthony J. Toprac

IPC分类号： H01L2166

CPC分类号： G03F7/70483 ,  H01L22/20

摘要： A novel method and system for fabricating integrated circuit devices is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining at least one electrical performance characteristic of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed above at least one semiconducting substrate, providing the determined electrical performance characteristics to a controller that determines, based upon the determined electrical characteristics, across-substrate variations in an exposure dose of a stepper exposure process to be performed on at least one subsequently processed substrate, and performing the stepper exposure process comprised of the across-substrate variations in exposure dose on the subsequently processed substrates. The system comprises a metrology tool for determining an electrical performance characteristic of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed above at least one substrate, a controller that determines, based upon the determined electrical performance characteristics, across-substrate variations in an exposure dose of a stepper exposure process to be performed on subsequently processed substrates, and a stepper tool that performs the stepper exposure process comprised of the across-substrate variations in exposure dose on the subsequently processed substrates.

摘要翻译： 本文公开了一种用于制造集成电路器件的新颖方法和系统。 在一个实施例中，该方法包括确定在至少一个半导体衬底上方形成的多个半导体器件的至少一个电性能特性，将确定的电性能特性提供给控制器，所述控制器基于所确定的电特性确定跨衬底 将对至少一个随后处理的基板进行步进曝光处理的曝光剂量的变化，以及对随后处理的基板上的曝光剂量的跨基板变化进行步进曝光处理。 该系统包括用于确定在至少一个衬底上形成的多个半导体器件的电性能特征的计量工具，控制器，其基于确定的电性能特性确定步进曝光的曝光剂量中的跨衬底变化 在后续处理的基板上执行的处理以及执行步进曝光处理的步进工具，其包括曝光剂量对随后处理的基板的跨基板变化。

公开(公告)号：US07334202B1

公开(公告)日：2008-02-19

申请号：US11145327

申请日：2005-06-03

申请人： Bhanwar Singh ,  Qiaolin Zhang ,  Iraj Emami ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Luigi Capodiece

发明人： Bhanwar Singh ,  Qiaolin Zhang ,  Iraj Emami ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Luigi Capodiece

IPC分类号： G06F17/50

CPC分类号： G06F17/5018 ,  G03F7/38 ,  G06F2217/80

摘要： A system for optimizing critical dimension uniformity in semiconductor manufacturing processes is provided. The system comprises a bake plate simulator to model a physical bake plate. A finite element analysis engine uses information from the bake plate simulator to calculate missing information. A lithography simulator predicts outcomes of a lithography process using information from the bake plate simulator and the finite element analysis engine. The system can be used in a predictive capacity or as part of a process control system.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于优化半导体制造工艺中的关键尺寸均匀性的系统。 该系统包括用于对物理烘烤板进行建模的烤盘模拟器。 有限元分析引擎使用来自烘烤板模拟器的信息来计算缺失的信息。 光刻模拟器使用来自烘烤板模拟器和有限元分析引擎的信息来预测光刻工艺的结果。 该系统可以以预测能力使用或作为过程控制系统的一部分使用。

公开(公告)号：US06967068B1

公开(公告)日：2005-11-22

申请号：US10046422

申请日：2001-11-07

申请人： Matthew A. Purdy ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett

发明人： Matthew A. Purdy ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett

IPC分类号： G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20

CPC分类号： G03F7/70525 ,  G03F7/70608 ,  G03F7/70616

摘要： A method comprised of forming a process layer above a wafer, forming an ARC layer above the process layer, determining at least one optical characteristic of the ARC layer, and determining, based upon the determined optical characteristic of the ARC layer, at least one parameter of a stepper exposure process. The present invention is also directed to a system that may be used to perform the methods described herein. In one embodiment, the system is comprised of an optical metrology tool for measuring at least one optical characteristic of an ARC layer formed above a process layer, a controller for determining, based upon data obtained from the optical metrology tool, at least one parameter of a stepper exposure process, and a stepper tool for performing the exposure process comprised of the determined at least one parameter.

摘要翻译： 一种方法，包括在晶片上形成工艺层，在工艺层上方形成ARC层，确定ARC层的至少一个光学特性，以及基于确定的ARC层的光学特性确定至少一个参数 的步进曝光过程。 本发明还涉及可用于执行本文描述的方法的系统。 在一个实施例中，该系统包括用于测量在处理层上形成的ARC层的至少一个光学特性的光学测量工具，用于基于从光学测量工具获得的数据确定至少一个参数 步进曝光过程，以及用于执行由确定的至少一个参数组成的曝光处理的步进工具。

公开(公告)号：US06699727B1

公开(公告)日：2004-03-02

申请号：US09821675

申请日：2001-03-29

申请人： Anthony J. Toprac ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Christopher A. Bode ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Michael L. Miller

发明人： Anthony J. Toprac ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Christopher A. Bode ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Michael L. Miller

IPC分类号： G01R3126

CPC分类号： H01L22/20 ,  G05B19/418 ,  G05B2219/32194 ,  G05B2219/32263 ,  Y02P90/02 ,  Y02P90/18 ,  Y02P90/20 ,  Y02P90/22

摘要： A method for prioritizing production flow includes processing a plurality of manufactured items in a process flow; measuring characteristics of a plurality of manufactured items in the process flow; estimating performance grades for the plurality of manufactured items based on the measured characteristics; grouping the manufactured items with like estimated performance grades; assigning priorities to groups of manufactured items with like estimated performance grades; and directing the plurality of manufactured items through the process flow based on the assigned priorities. A manufacturing system includes a plurality of processing tools adapted to process a plurality of manufactured items in a process flow, a metrology tool, and a process control server. The metrology tool is adapted to measure characteristics of a plurality of manufactured items in the process flow. The process control server is adapted to estimate performance grades for the plurality of manufactured items based on the measured characteristics, group the manufactured items with like estimated performance grades, assign priorities to groups of manufactured items with like estimated performance grades, and direct the plurality of manufactured items through the process flow based on the assigned priorities.

摘要翻译： 一种用于确定生产流程优先级的方法包括在处理流程中处理多个制造的物品; 测量处理流程中的多个制成品的特性; 基于所测量的特性来估计所述多个制造物品的性能等级; 对具有相似估计性能等级的制成品进行分组; 将优先事项分配给具有类似估计绩效等级的制成品组; 以及基于所分配的优先级，通过所述处理流程来引导所述多个制造的物品。 制造系统包括多个处理工具，其适用于处理流程中的多个制造物品，计量工具和过程控制服务器。 计量工具适于测量处理流程中的多个制造物品的特性。 过程控制服务器适于基于测量的特性来估计多个制造物品的性能等级，将具有相似估计性能等级的制造物品分组，将具有相似估计性能等级的制造商品组的优先级分配给多个 基于分配的优先级，通过流程流程制造出的物品。

公开(公告)号：US06675058B1

公开(公告)日：2004-01-06

申请号：US09821630

申请日：2001-03-29

申请人： Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Anthony J. Toprac ,  Christopher A. Bode ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Michael L. Miller

发明人： Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Anthony J. Toprac ,  Christopher A. Bode ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Michael L. Miller

IPC分类号： G06F1900

CPC分类号： G05B19/41865 ,  G05B2219/32272 ,  H01L21/67276 ,  Y02P90/18 ,  Y02P90/20 ,  Y02P90/86

摘要： A method for controlling the flow of wafers through a process flow includes monitoring operating states of a plurality of processing tools adapted to process wafers; measuring a characteristic of a particular incoming wafer; identifying a particular processing tool having an operating state complimentary to the measured characteristic; and routing the particular incoming wafer to the particular processing tool for processing. A manufacturing system includes a plurality of processing tools adapted to process wafers and a process control server. The process control server is adapted to access metrology data related to a characteristic of a particular incoming wafer, identify a particular processing tool having an operating state complimentary to the characteristic, and route the particular incoming wafer to the particular processing tool for processing.

摘要翻译： 用于通过工艺流程控制晶片流动的方法包括监测适于处理晶片的多个处理工具的操作状态; 测量特定输入晶片的特性; 识别具有与测量特性相互补充的操作状态的特定加工工具; 并将特定进入的晶片路由到特定的处理工具进行处理。 制造系统包括适于处理晶片的多个处理工具和过程控制服务器。 过程控制服务器适于访问与特定输入晶片的特性相关的度量数据，识别具有与该特征相互补充的操作状态的特定处理工具，并将特定输入晶片路由到特定处理工具进行处理。

公开(公告)号：US06801817B1

公开(公告)日：2004-10-05

申请号：US09789140

申请日：2001-02-20

申请人： Christopher A. Bode ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Anthony J. Toprac ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Michael L. Miller

发明人： Christopher A. Bode ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Anthony J. Toprac ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Michael L. Miller

IPC分类号： G06F1900

CPC分类号： G05B19/41865 ,  G05B19/40937 ,  Y02P90/16 ,  Y02P90/20 ,  Y02P90/265

摘要： A method for controlling a manufacturing system includes processing workpieces in a plurality of tools; initiating a baseline control script for a selected tool of the plurality of tools; providing context information for the baseline control script; determining a tool type based on the context information; selecting a group of control routines for the selected tool based on the tool type; determining required control routines from the group of control routines based on the context information; and executing the required control routines to generate control actions for the selected tool. A manufacturing system includes a plurality of tools adapted to process workpieces, a control execution manager, and a control executor. The control execution manager is adapted to initiate a baseline control script for a selected tool of the plurality of tools and provide context information for the baseline control script. The control executor is adapted to execute the baseline control script, determine a tool type based on the context information, select a group of control routines for the selected tool based on the tool type, determine required control routines from the group of control routines based on the context information, and execute the required control routines to generate control actions for the selected tool.

摘要翻译： 一种用于控制制造系统的方法包括：处理多个工具中的工件; 为所述多个工具的所选择的工具启动基线控制脚本; 提供基线控制脚本的上下文信息; 基于上下文信息确定工具类型; 基于所述工具类型为所选择的工具选择一组控制例程; 基于所述上下文信息来确定来自所述一组控制例程的所需控制例程; 并执行所需的控制例程以产生所选择的工具的控制动作。 制造系统包括适于处理工件的多个工具，控制执行管理器和控制执行器。 所述控制执行管理器适于启动用于所述多个工具的所选工具的基线控制脚本并提供所述基线控制脚本的上下文信息。 控制执行器适于执行基线控制脚本，基于上下文信息确定工具类型，基于工具类型为所选择的工具选择一组控制例程，从基于控制例程的组中确定所需的控制例程 上下文信息，并执行所需的控制例程以生成所选择的工具的控制动作。

公开(公告)号：US06785586B1

公开(公告)日：2004-08-31

申请号：US09791981

申请日：2001-02-23

申请人： Anthony J. Toprac ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Christopher A. Bode ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Michael L. Miller

发明人： Anthony J. Toprac ,  Thomas J. Sonderman ,  Christopher A. Bode ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn ,  Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Anastasia Oshelski Peterson ,  Michael L. Miller

IPC分类号： G06F1900

CPC分类号： G05B19/4065 ,  G05B2219/32234 ,  G05B2219/37252 ,  G05B2219/37258 ,  Y02P90/86

摘要： A method for adaptively scheduling tool maintenance includes controlling an operating recipe of a tool using a plurality of control actions, monitoring the control actions to identify a degraded tool condition, and automatically initiating a tool maintenance recommendation in response to identifying the degraded tool condition. A manufacturing system includes a tool, a process controller, and a tool health monitor. The tool is adapted to process a workpiece in accordance with an operating recipe. The process controller is adapted to control the operating recipe of the tool using a plurality of control actions. The tool health monitor is adapted to monitor the control actions to identify a degraded tool condition and automatically initiate a tool maintenance recommendation in response to identifying the degraded tool condition.

摘要翻译： 一种用于自适应地调度工具维护的方法包括使用多个控制动作来控制工具的操作配方，监视控制动作以识别劣化的工具条件，以及响应于识别劣化的工具条件自动启动工具维护建议。 制造系统包括工具，过程控制器和工具健康监视器。 该工具适于根据操作配方处理工件。 过程控制器适于使用多个控制动作来控制工具的操作配方。 工具健康监视器适于监视控制动作以识别劣化的工具状态，并且响应于识别劣化的工具条件而自动启动工具维护建议。

公开(公告)号：US06764868B1

公开(公告)日：2004-07-20

申请号：US09909112

申请日：2001-07-19

申请人： Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn

发明人： Joyce S. Oey Hewett ,  Alexander J. Pasadyn

IPC分类号： H01L2166

CPC分类号： B24B37/013 ,  B24B37/042 ,  B24B49/00

摘要： In general, the present invention is directed to a method of using slurry waste composition to determine the amount of metal removed during chemical mechanical polishing processes, and a system for accomplishing same. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate having a metal layer formed thereabove, performing a chemical mechanical polishing process on the layer of metal in the presence of a polishing slurry, measuring at least a concentration of a material comprising the metal layer in the polishing slurry used during said polishing process after at least some of said polishing process has been performed, and determining a thickness of the layer of metal removed during the polishing process based upon at least the measured concentration of the material comprising the metal layer. In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system that is comprised of a chemical mechanical polishing tool for performing a chemical mechanical polishing process on a metal layer in the presence of a polishing slurry, a concentration monitor for measuring a concentration of a material comprising the metal layer in the polishing slurry after at least one of the polishing process has been performed, and a controller for receiving the measured concentration and determining a thickness of the layer of metal removed during the polishing process based upon at least the measured concentration of the material comprising the layer of metal.

摘要翻译： 通常，本发明涉及一种使用浆料废料组合物来确定在化学机械抛光过程中去除的金属的量的方法和用于实现其的系统。 在一个实施方案中，该方法包括提供具有在其上形成的金属层的基材，在抛光浆料存在下对该金属层进行化学机械抛光工艺，测量至少一种包含金属层的材料的浓度 在至少一些所述抛光工艺已经进行之后，在抛光过程中使用的抛光浆料，以及至少基于所测量的包括金属层的材料的浓度，确定在抛光过程中去除的金属层的厚度。 在另一个实施例中，本发明涉及一种系统，该系统包括用于在抛光浆料存在下对金属层进行化学机械抛光工艺的化学机械抛光工具，用于测量材料浓度的浓度监测器 在至少一次抛光处理之后，在抛光浆料中包括金属层，以及控制器，用于接收测量的浓度并确定在抛光过程中除去的金属层的厚度，至少基于所测量的浓度 该材料包括金属层。